Box magazine for cartridges in a u-shaped loop



July 23, 1957 N. D. KINTZER 2,799,957

BOX MAGAZINE FOR CARTRIDGES IN A U-SHAPED LOOP Filed June 30, 1955 zsheets-sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

N i c hulns 11 Kinrzer ATTOKNEYS July 23, 1957 N. D. KINTZER 2,799,957

BOX MAGAZINE FOR CARTRIDGES IN A U-SHAPED LOOP Filed June 30, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

v M ZAWMM ATTOQNEY-s BOX MAGAZINE FUR a'n U-SHAPED LOOP Application June 30, 1955, Serial No. 519,295

12 Claims. (Cl. 42---50) GES IN A This invention relates to magazines for firearms and more particularly to magazines of box type.

An important factor in the eflicient operation of small arms is the method of feeding the ammunition to the weapon. Many of the automatic rifles utilize a box magazine which is integral with the receiver. Cartridges are usually loaded into such magazines by means of a clip and an internal mechanism in the magazine, actuated by spring or pawl means, brings each cartridge therein into proper position to be withdrawn by the reciprocating bolt. The usual method of replenishing such magazines is to withdraw the bolt to battery position and then insert a clip loaded with a supply of cartridges through the ejection port in the top of the receiver into communication with the magazine. Sometimes the cartridges are pushed out of the clip into the magazine, or the full clip, as with the U. S. rifle M1, may be pushed into the magazine to contain and control the unexpended cartridges and then ejected after the last round is fired.

It is obvious that by these methods the rifle is inoperative while the magazine is being loaded. Also, it is inconvenient, if possible, to replenish the supply of cartridges in the magazine before it is exhausted. Consequently, the efficiency of the firearm is reduced because in times of emergency, the firearm may be only partially supplied with cartridges or is made inoperative through the act of loading.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide for a firearm a box type magazine which may be replenished before all the cartridges are exhausted therefrom.

It is another object of this invention to provide for a firearm a magazine which may be replenished from the side and with the bolt in recoil or battery position.

It is still another object of this invention to provide for a firearm a magazine which may be replenished, without making the firearm inoperative, by a clip attachable to the firearm to become, when desired, an extension of the magazine and thereby provide an extra supply of cartridges for the firearm.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a magazine having a slidable follower for supporting a U-shaped loop of cartridges at the bend thereof and a movable partition, responsive to the movement of the follower, for separating the cartridges in the parallel arm portions of such loop.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide for such a slidable follower ramp portions for supporting the U-shaped loop of cartridges and for passing cartridges from one of the arms thereof to the other.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal partially cross-sectional view of the feeding mechanism of the firearm;

Fig. 2 is a view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 but with the bolt retracted to recoil position;

21,799,957 Patented July 23, 1957 Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the camming action of the pawl cam on the last few cartridges in the magazine;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the last round feeder feeding the last cartridge in the magazine to the feed port in the receiver;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a loaded clip attached to the receiver and in communication with the magazine to provide an extra supply of cartridges;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the follower, partition and pawl-cam assembly;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal view of the opposite side of the pawl-cam assembly;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, perspective, partially broken away view of the clip mounted to the receiver in position to load the magazine; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary left side view showing the cooperation between the mounting T-lug on the receiver and an opening therefor in the magazine.

Shown in the figures is a firearm of well-known U. S. rifle M1 type having a chambered barrel 12, a receiver 14 attached thereto and provided with a feed port 15 on the underside thereof, a gas actuated operating rod 16 and a bolt 17 reciprocable within such receiver. An arcuate arm follower 20 is pivotally mounted at one end to receiver 14 and a rod follower 18 is pivotally mounted at the rear end to arm follower 20, below the pivotal mounting thereof, so as to extend forwardly in line with operating rod 16. A coiled compression spring 22 is mounted between operating rod 16 and rod follower 18 so as to bias such operating rod to a forward position and such rod follower rearwardly. Whereby, arm follower 20 is biased in a clockwise direction toward receiver 14.

Mounted to the underside of receiver 14, as hereinafter described, is a magazine 24. Such magazine includes a case 26 having parallel sides 28 and ends 30 and a bottom 32. Sides 28 are spaced by ends 30 sufiiciently to accommodate a row of cartridges 34 folded on itself to form a U-shaped loop 36 having parallel right and left arms referred to hereinafter as replenishing side 38 and feeding side 40, respectively. Provided centrally along each of the ends 30 is a recessed way 44 which communicates with the inside of case 26. Such case 26 is fixedly or replaceably mounted at the upper end to the underside of receiver 14, askew of the vertical axis of the firearm, so as to incline upwardly and to the right thereof. Also, feed port 15 is arranged to be positioned between the ways 44 and the left one of the sides 28. The right one of the sides 28 is reduced in height so that there is formed between the top thereof and receiver 14 a port 46 which provides entrance for cartridges 34 into case 26 between ways 44 and such right side.

Provided in the underside of receiver 14 and on the right side of feed port 15, is a substantially rectangular clearance 47. A rectangular hanger 48 is staked by suitable means to the inside of receiver 14 above clearance 47 so as to be positioned above and substantially in line with ways 44. The top front and rear corners of hanger 48 are reduced in thickness by an arcuate cut 50 made on each side thereof and such cuts form ear portions 51 and arcuate shoulders 52. Pivotally mounted to each ear portion 51 by a pin 53, is an arm 54. Each of the arms 54 is terminated at the upper end by an arcuate portion 55 which is bifurcated to receive one of such ear portions. Hingedly mounted to the free end of each of the arms 54 is a secondary arm 56 the opposite end of which is mounted by pivotal means to the adjacent one of the free ends 57 of a looplike follower 58, to be described hereinafter. Free ends 57 are so spaced that the attached arms 54 and secondary arms 56 are approximately alignable when extended. however, arcuate portions 55, are of such configuration that arms 54 are engageable with shoulders 52 to stop such arms and secondary arms 56 from completely aligning, whereby, such arms and secondary arms are foldable away from each other. The

. length. of arms 54 and secondary arms 56 are such that when folded together they do not contact ends 23 of case 26.

Follower 58 is fabricated from a length of sheet metal pressed to form a. strip of U-shaped cross-section, to both save in weight and provide an outwardly facing recessed groove 59 which slidably receives the end of arm follower 20 as hereinafter noted. Follower 58 is arranged to form an elongated loop 60 which extends both ways and downwardly from free ends 57 sufiiciently to permit a cartridge 34 to pass lengthwise therethrough. Formed by such loop 60 are front and rear substantially U-shaped end portions 61 which are arranged to be slidably received by ways 44 whereby follower 58 is constrained to slidable movement toward and away from receiver 14. An opening 63 is provided along the way 44- in the front one of the ends 30 to permit entrance of arm follower 219 into case 26 for slidable engagment of the end of such arm follower with the recessed groove 59 in the lower portion of loop 69 and for pivotal rotation to bias follower 58 from the lower portion of case 26 to receiver 14. During movement of follower 58 along ways 44, arms 54 and secondary arms 56 form a movable, folding partition 62 which divides case 26 in half between follower 58 and receiver 14.

Fixedly mounted to the lower longitudinal portion of the loop 60, so as to extend transversely thereacross, are a rear ramp 64 and a front ramp 66 both of which are provided with arcuate guideways 68 which are so contoured and arranged that. cartridges 34 may be passed thereby from the left side of partition 62 through the loop 6% to the right side. Front ramp 66 is provided on both sides thereof with flanges 70 which are recessed,

as noted at 71, to form upper and lower bearing portions 72. Such bearing portions 72 are slidably received by grooves 74 in sides 28 to constrain follower 58 against rotation.

Depending from the guideway 68 on rear ramp 64 is a skirt portion 75 having a hole 76 in the portion thereof on the right side of loop 60. Such hole 76 is in longitudinal alignment with another hole 76 in flange 70 of front ramp portion 66. Fixedly received by holes 76 is a shaft 80 upon which there is pivotally mounted, as hereinafter described, a last round feeder 82. Such last round feeder 82 is comprised of a rectangular open center flap 84, one edge of which is rolled to receive shaft 80 and thereby form a hinge 88. Flap 84 is arranged to extend from shaft 80 across loop 60 to the left side thereof so as to be engageable with a cartridge 34 positioned on the left side of partition 62. Mounted on shaft 80 between flap 34 and skirt 75 is a double arm spring 90, one arm of which presses resiliently against the lower portion of loop 60 and the other against such flap for resiliently biasing last round feeder 32 upwardly until stopped by contact with the upper portion of such loop. Extending from flap 34 to the opposite side of shaft 81 is an upstanding holdout arm 92 which is slidably engaged with the adjacent one of the sides 28 to hold such flap against loop 60 below guideways 68 until all but the last one of the cartridges 34 in magazine 24 have been fed to receiver 14. Whereupon, arm portion 92 is arranged to be positioned above the top of such side 28 and so permit spring 90 to bias last round feeder 82 upwardly against the last one of the cartridges 34 in magazine 24 for positioning such cartridge in feed port 15.

The bottom side of hanger 48 is bifurcated by a lateral cutout portion 93 to form a pair of arm portions Wt. Provided longitudinally through arm portions 94 is a bore for receiving, as by press fit, a pin 98 arranged to extend from both sides of such hanger. Pivotally mounted on such ends of pin 98, and extending downwardly therefrom, is a pawl-cam 10%] which projects through clearance 17 into the right side of case 26 for engagement by cartridge 34 when inserted through port 46. Such pawl-cam 160 is provided with a planar portion 192 along which cartridges 34 are movable when pressed into case 26. Such planar portion 1E2 is of slightly larger width than hanger 4-8 so that integral cam portions 104, bent at right angles from the front and rear sides of such planar portion, may extend along the adjacent front and rear sides of such hanger. Cam portions 104 are shaped so as to form parallel cam ways 106 which extend arcuately upward from the bottom side of planar portion 102. A double arm spring 111) is mounted on pin 98 in cutout portion 93 with such arms, pressing against the top side of such cutout portion and the underside of planar portion 192 to bias pawl-cam into the right side of partition 62 until stopped by engagement of the top side of such planar portion with hanger 48.

The top side of planar portion 102 is so related to hanger 48 that, when in contact, the bottom side of such planar portion projects angularly into the right side of partition 62 sutficiently to engage the top cartridge 34 in replenishing side 38 of loop 36 to the right of the point of intersection of the radius of guideways 68 with such,

cartridge. Whereby, such top cartridge 34 is held against return and is cammed by cam ways 106, through the cooperation of guideways 68, through loop 69 of follower 53. The contour of cam ways 106 is generated to cooperate with guideways 68 so that all but the last one of the last four cartridges 34 in magazine 24 are cammcd thereby to feed port 15 through the bias of spring 22 against follower 53. The pivotal mounting of pawl-cam 190 permits passage of cartridges thereby into magazine 24.

Pivotally mounted to the inside of ends 30 of case 26, approximately intermediate of port 46, is a pair of arms 11?. which are connected at the free ends by a channel portion 114. Mounted through channel portion 114 and received, as by press fit, by holes 116 in the arms 112, is an axle 118 the ends of which are arranged to extend beyond such arms. Pivotally mounted, as hereinafter described, on such extending portions of axle 118 is a cover 120 comprised of a planar side 122 sutliciently large enough to cover port 46, an integral top 124 and triangularlike ends 126 which are provided with suitable bores for rotatably receiving such extending portions of axle 118.

Two double arm springs 130 are mounted on axle 118 adjacent arms 112. One of the arms of springs 130 is pressed against the edge of channel portion 114 and the other against the inside of top side 124 adjacent the edge thereof. Whereby, cover 120 is biased into engagement with the adjacent one of sides 28 and through the sliding and camming engagement of such cover with such side arms 11?. are biased upwardly to swing such cover into position to close port 46. Cover 120 is movable downwardly to clear port 46 by pressing against top side 124, and when such pressure is released, springs 130 bias such cover back into closed position.

Magazine 24 may be loaded with cartridges 34 which are loose or which are loaded in an expendable clip 132 which, in the present embodiment, is adapted to contain a row of five cartridges. Such clip 132 is comprised of: a right side 134 and 'a left side 136 in parallel relationship, a closed top 133 connecting such sides, and ends 139. The bottom edges of sides 134 and 136 are suitably crimped to releasably hold the row of cartridges 34 in clip 132.

Provided in left side 136 is a rectangular opening 149 which slidably receives a T-lug 142, mounted to the side of receiver 14 in port 46, to replaceably secure clip 132 in such port. A clearance 144 in right side 1134 and top 133 provides means for manually pressing the cartridges 34 from clip 132 into magazine 24.

amass? Operation To load magazine 24 through the use of clip 132, such clip is pressed downwardly on top side 124 of cover 120. Whereby, cover 120 is pivoted downwardly by arms 112 to open port 46 to clip 132 which may, through the continuation of downward movement, be inserted into case 26 through such port. Reception of T-lug 142 by opening 140 holds clip 132 secure. Whereby, clip 132 may be released and the same hand used to install the clip is used to press the cartridges 34 therein into magazine 24. After magazine 24 is filled, another clip 132 filled with cartridges 34 may, if desired, be left secured in port 46 to provide an extra supply of available cartridges in event of emergency.

When magazine 24 is empty, the follower 58 is biased by means of spring 22 through rod follower 18 and arm follower 20 to the top of case 26. With such follower 58 in the top position, holdout arm 92 of last round feeder 82 is positioned above the top of the right one of sides 28. Whereby, flap S4 is biased upwardly by spring 90 into contact with the top portion of loop 60. Therefore, when pressure is applied to the row of cartridges 34 in clip 132, the bottom one thereof presses against planar portion 102 to bias pawl-cam 100 resiliently out of the way. When such cartridge 34 is past pawl-cam 100, such pawl-cam snaps back into position behind such cartridge which is secured thereby in magazine 24. The pressure of the bottom side of pawl-cam 100 on the right of the dead center of cartridge 34, respective to guideways 68, forces such cartridge, through the cooperation of cam ways 106, along guideways 68 and through loop 60 of follower 58 into the right side thereof. The bias of last round feeder 82 then moves such cartridge 34 up to feed port in position to be picked up by bolt 17, during movement to battery position, and chambered in barrel 12. The next one of the cartridges 34 pressed from clip 132 follows the same course. But because of the lack of space between the cartridge 34 positioned in feed port 15 and guideways 63, the bias of cam ways 106 causes such next cartridge to move follower 58 downwardly in case 26. Whereby, holdout arm 92 becomes engaged with the cooperating one of sides 28 to move last round feeder 82 downwardly below guideways 68 and inoperative until all but the last one of cartridges 34 have been fed from magazine 24. Whereupon, the holdout arm 92 is moved out of engagement with the cooperating one of sides 28 so that last round feeder 82 is free to bias such last one of cartridges 34 to feed port 15.

As cartridges 34 are pressed from clip 132 into magazine 24, U-shaped loop 36 is formed with the first cartridge therein positioned in the feed port 15 and the last cartridge engaged by pawl-cam 100. The force of spring 22 transferred through rod follower 18 and arm follower to ramps 64 and 66 biases loop 36 upwardly.

With the loading end of replenishing side 38 held stationary by pawl-cam 100, the compressive pressure of follower 58 causes the cartridge 34 at the end of feeding side 40 to move into feed port 15. As bolt 17 picks up the cartridges 34 from feeding side 40 and feeds them into receiver 14, follower 58 moves upwardly in case 26 with cartridges in replenishing side 38 passing through loop 64 of follower 58 into feeding side 4%. Arms 54 and secondary arms 56 fold apart as follower 58 moves upwardly, whereby partition 62 maintains the cartridges in replenishing side 38 separate from those in feeding side 46 to prevent interlocking therebetween.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that there is herein provided a novel and improved box magazine whereby one or more cartridges may be loaded thereinto at any time, and without making the firearm inoperative, as the loading operation does not at any time relieve the pressure of spring 22 from the cartridge 34 positioned in feed port 15, and whereby a clip may readily be replaceably fixed to the magazine as an extension thereof, if desired.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised within the spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended to include such variations.

I claim:

1. For a firearm having a receiver, a magazine for storing and automatically feeding cartridges to the receiver including a case attached to the receiver and adapted to hold a plurality of cartridges folded to a U-shaped loop, a port for passage of a cartridge at one end of said loop to the receiver, a pawl means for replenishably holding the opposite end of said loop, a follower for slidingly engaging said loop at the bend thereof, and means for biasing said follower against said loop to compressingly move the cartridges in said loop towards the receiver as the cartridges are passed from said one end into the receiver. p

2. For a firearm having a receiver, a magazine for storing and automatically feeding cartridges to the receiver including a case attached to the receiver and adapted to hold a plurality of cartridges folded to a U-shaped loop, a port for feeding a cartridge at one end of said loop to the receiver, pawl means for replenishably holding the opposite end of said loop, a follower mounted r in said case for slidable movement therein along recessed ways leading towards the receiver, means for biasing said follower toward the receiver, and arcuate ramp portions on said follower for applying the bias applied to said follower to said loop of cartridges at the bend thereof and for passing the cartridges from the replenishing side of said loop to the feeding side thereof.

3. For a firearm having a receiver, a magazine for storing and automatically feeding cartridges to the receiver including a case attached to the receiver and adapted to hold a plurality of cartridges folded to a U-shaped loop having a feeding side and a replenishing side, a

port for feeding the cartridge at the end of said feeding side to the receiver, a pawl device for replenishably holding said, replenishing side, a follower mounted in said case for slidable movement therein along recessed ways leading towards the receiver, means for biasing said follower toward the receiver, arcuate guideways fixed to said follower for applying the bias of said means to said loop of cartridges at the bend thereof and for passing the cartridges from said replenishing side of said loop to said feeding side thereof, and a movable partition for separating the cartridges in said replenishing side from the cartridges in said feeding side to prevent interlocking therebetween, said partition being movable responsive to movement of said follower.

4. For a firearm having a receiver, a magazine for storing and automatically feeding cartridges to the receiver including a case attached to the receiver and adapted to hold a plurality of cartridges folded to a U-shaped loop having a feeding side and a replenishing side, a port for feeding the cartridge at the end of said feeding side to the receiver, a pawl device for replenishably holding the end of said replenishing side, a follower mounted in said case for slidable movement therein along recessed ways leading towards the receiver, means for biasing said follower toward the receiver, arcuate guideways fixed to said follower for applying the bias of said means to said loop of cartridges at the bend thereof and for passing the cartridges from said replenishing side of said loop to said feeding side thereof, a folding partition for separating the cartridges in said replenishing side from those in said feeding side to prevent interlocking therebetween, said partition being foldingly responsive to movement of said follower, and port means for passage of the cartridges between said follower and said partition.

5. For a firearm having a receiver, a magazine for storing and automatically feeding cartridges to the receiver including a case attached to the receiver and adapted to hold a plurality of cartridges folded to a U-shaped loop having a feeding side and a replenishing side, a port for feeding the cartridge at the end of said feeding side to the receiver, a pawl device for replenishably holding the end of said replenishing side, a follower mounted in said case for slidable movement therein along recessed ways leading towards the receiver, means for biasing said fol-' lower toward the receiver, arcu'ate guideways fixed to. said follower for applying the bias of said means to said loop of cartridges at the bend thereof and for passing the cartridges from said replenishing side of said loop to said feeding side thereof, a movable partition for separating the cartridges in said replenishing side from those in said feeding side to prevent interlocking'therebetween, said partition being foldingly responsive to movement of said follower, .port means for passage of cartridges between said follower and said partition, and cam portions-on said pawl device cooperable with said guideways for biasing the last four of the cartridges in said magazine toward said port. l

6. For a firearm having a receiver, a magazine for .storingand automatically feeding cartridges to the receiver including a case attached to the receiver. and

' adapted to hold a plurality of cartridges folded to a U- shaped loop having a feeding side and a replenishing side, a port for feeding the cartridge at the end. of said. feeding side to the receiver, a pawl device for replenishably holding the end of said replenishing side, a follower mounted in said ease for slidable' movement therein along recessed ways leading towards the receiver, means for biasing said follower toward the receiver, arcuate guideways fixed to said follower for applying the bias of said means to said loop of cartridges at the bend thereof and for passing the cartridges from said replenishing side of saidloop to said feeding side thereof, afoldingpartition for separating the cartridges in said replenishing side from those in said feeding side to prevent interlocking therebetween, said partition being foldingly responsive to movement of said follower, port means for passage of cartridges between said follower and said partition, cam

portions on said pawl device cooperable with said guideways for biasing the last four of the cartridges in said magazine toward said port, and spring-biased flap means pivotally mounted on said follower for separately feeding in cooperation with said cam portion the last one of the cartridges in said magazine to said port.

7. For a firearm having a receiver, a magazine for storing and automatically feeding cartridges to the receiver including a case attached to the receiver and adapted to hold a plurality of cartridges folded to a U-shaped loop having a replenishing side and a feeding side, a port for feeding the cartridge at the end of said feeding side to the receiver, a pawl device for replenishably holding the end of said replenishing side, a follower mounted in said case for slidable movement therein along recessed ways leading towards the receiver, means for biasing said follower toward the receiver, areuate guideways fixed to said follower for applying the bias of said means to said loop of cartridges at the bend thereof and for passing the cartridges from said replenishing side of said loop to said feeding side thereof, a folding partition for separating the cartridges in said replenishing side from those in said feeding side to prevent interlocking therebetween, said partition being foldingly responsive to movement of said follower, port means for passage of cartridges between said follower and said partition, cam portions on said pawl device cooperable with said follower for biasing the last four of the cartridges in said magazine toward said port, spring-biased flap means pivotally mounted on said follower for separately feeding in cooperation with said cam portions the last one of the cartridges in said magazine to said port, and holdout means slidingly cooperative with one side of said case for holding said flap means inoperative until all but said last one of the cartridges have been fed from said magazine to the receiver.

8. For a firearm having a receiver, a magazine for storing and automatically feeding cartridges to the receiver including a case attached to the receiver and adapted to hold a plurality of cartridges folded to a U-shaped loop having a feeding side and a replenishing side, a port for feeding the cartridge at the end of said feeding side to the receiver, a pawl device for replenishably holding the ad of said replenishing side, a follower mounted in said case for slidable movement therein along recessed Ways leading towards the receiver, means forbiasing said fol-.

lower toward the receiver, arcuate guideways fixed to said follower for applying the bias of said means to said ioop of cartridges at the bend thereof and for passing the on said follower for separately feeding in cooperation with said cam portions the last one of the cartridges in said magazine to the receiver, holdout means slidingly cooperative with one of the sides of said case for holding said flap means inoperative until all but said last one of the cartridges have been fed from said magazine to the receiver, and portal means whereby cartridges may be added to said replenishing side, said portal means being normally closed by a downwardly opening cover whereby downward insertion of the cartridge through said portal means moves said cover to open position.

9. For a firearm having a receiver, a magazine for cartridges including a case attached to the receiver and adapted to hold a plurality of cartridges folded to a U- V shaped loop-having a feeding side and a replenishing side, a port for feeding the cartridge at the end of said feeding side to the receiver, a pawl device for replenishably holding the end of said replenishing side, a follower mounted in said case for slidable movement therein along recessed ways leading towards the receiver, means for biasing said follower toward the receiver, arcuate guideways fixed to said follower for applying the bias of said means to said loop of cartridges at the bend thereof and for passing the cartridges from said replenishing side of said loop to said feeding side thereof, and a pair of jointed arms extending from the receiver on each side of said pawl device to said follower for limiting the downward position thereof in said case and for separating the cartridges in said replenishing side of said loop from those in said feeding side, said arms being foldingly responsive to the movement of said follower.

10. For a firearm having a receiver, a magazine for cartridges including a case attached to the receiver and adapted to hold a row of cartridges folded to a U-shape, a port for feeding the cartridge at one end of said row to the receiver, pawl means for replenishably holding the end of said row, a follower mounted in said case for slidaole movement therein along recessed ways leading towards the receiver, said follower including a loop having spaced free ends and an opening for passage of cartridges lengthwise therethrough, arcuate guideways fixed to said loop on the underside thereof for supporting the bend in said row and for passing cartridges from one of the parallel sides of said row to the other, a pair of spaced, intermediately jointed arms pivotally mounted between each of said free ends and the receiver on each side of said pawl device so as to fold outwardly during movement of said follower toward the receiver to keep separate the cartridges in one of the parallel sides of said row from the other one during movement of said follower, and means for biasing said follower toward the receiver.

11. For a firearm having a receiver, a magazine for storing and automatically feeding cartridges to the receiver including a case attached to the receiver and adapted to hold a plurality of cartridges folded to a U-shaped loop having a feeding side and a replenishing side, a port for feeding the cartridge at the end of said feeding side to the receiver, a pawl device for replenishably holding the end of said replenishing side, portal means between said case and the receiver for supplying cartridges to said replenishing side, a clip adapted to releasably hold a row of cartridges and be insertable through said portal means into engagement with said replenishing side, a lug means mounted 'on the receiver for cooperation with an opening in said clip for replaceably securing said clip in said portal means to provide an extra supply of cartridges on said replenishing side, a follower mounted in said ease for slidable movement therein along recessed ways leading towards the receiver, means for biasing said follower toward the receiver, arcuate guideways fixed to said follower for applying said bias of the follower to said loop of cartridges at the bend thereof and for passing the cartridges from said replenishing side to said feeding side, and a movable partition for separating the cartridges in said replenishing side of said loop from those in said feeding side to prevent interlocking therebetween, said partition being foldingly responsive to movement of said follower.

12. For a firearm having a receiver, a magazine for cartridges including a case attached to the receiver and adapted to hold 'a plurality of cartridges folded to a U- shaped loop having a feeding side and a replenishing side,

a port for feeding the cartridge at the end 'of said feeding side to the receiver, a pawl device for replenishably holding the end of said replenishing side, portal means between said case and the receiver for supplying cartridges to said replenishing side, a clip adapted to releasably hold a row of cartridges and enter said portal means to alignably engage said replenishing side, lug means mounted on the receiver for cooperation with an opening in said clip for replaceably securing said clip in said portal means to provide an extension to said replenishing side, a follower mounted in said case for slidable movement therein along recessed ways toward the receiver, means for biasing said follower toward the receiver, arcuate guideways fixed to said follower for applying the 'bias of said follower to said loop of cartridges at the bend thereof and for passing the cartridges from the replenishing side of said loop to said feeding side, and a pair of jointed arms extending from the receiver on each side of said pawl device to said follower for limiting the downward position thereof in said case and for separating the cartridges in said replenishing side of said loop from said feeding side, said arms being foldingly responsive to the movement of said follower.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 245,048 B'arthelmes Aug. 2, 1881 492,212 Krag et a1. Feb. 21, 1893 680,207 Scott Aug. 6, 1901 2,594,237 Wallenhorst Apr. 22, 1952 

